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Chapter 2263: Beginning of the End
Shadow Slave

Sunny remained silent for a while, then said somberly:

“Of course, not everyone went smoothly. Far from it, really. Nephis had managed to compel countless people, and most of the Saints, to swear fealty to her. However, there were still loyalists who refused to accept her. Some were even hellbent on avenging the fallen Sovereigns. So... there was a quiet purge, of sorts.”

He sighed.

“It was not as bloody as you probably imagined. Very few people were actually killed, but quite a number of them were exiled. Nephis rules both the waking world and the human territories in the Dream Realm, though, so it's not like they had somewhere to go. So, we allocated them a settlement in Europe and a Citadel in Gograve. Old Jest is in charge of it now, spending his retirement leading those men in a perpetual battle against the scarlet jungle. Gilead, that buffoon, chose exile as well. What a waste."

Sunny shook his head, a grim expression on his face.

He did not speak for a while, then scoffed.

“Well, those guys are the least of our problems. Truth be told, everything sort of exploded after Nephis took over."

His lips twisted into a bitter smile.

“That is because her style of leadership is more or less the direct opposite of how the Sovereigns used to run things. One of the first things she did after establishing her Domain was give a very solemn, very inspiring speech... that revealed to everyone how our world is being consumed by the Dream Realm. You can imagine what kind of chaos ensued after that broadcast."

Sunny chuckled.

“We are still dealing with the consequences. It had to be done, though. Since we are not planning on leaving most of humanity behind, the great exodus must be accelerated. And we need for everyone to work together in order to make it happen, both in the waking world and in the Dream Realm."

His expression fell.

“There are numerous problems facing us, of course. For example... the entire Western Quadrant is infected by the Skinwalker now. A few cities are already lost, and worst of all, it is very hard for me or Nephis to return to the waking world for extended periods of time. Feels quite weird, by the way, to be rejected by your own world... in any case, there is a full-scale war against that damn nightmare creature going on in Australia, and most of our best Saints are holding the creature back."

He sighed.

“Meanwhile, the number of the Nightmare Gates opening each month only continues to grow. We had to abandon the initial plan of gradually resettling people from across the globe and concentrate on bringing away the population of the Eastern Quadrant first. If everything goes well, the Western Quadrant will be next. And finally, the Northern Quadrant will be last. That will take years, though, if not decades... because resettling the entire population of a world is not as easy as ushering them through the Dream Gate."

Sunny grimaced.

“They also need shelter, food, and means to survive on the other side. So, we need to prepare the Dream Realm to accept them first. That is not an easy task... you see, although we call large swathes of that dreadful world ‘human territories’, in truth, most of these territories are still abomination-infested wilderness. Only the Citadels and the immediate areas around them are truly safe. And while that is enough for a small number of Awakened to get by, there is no space for cities, arable fields, and so on... the situation started to change in the aftermath of the Chain of Nightmares, but it is not changing fast enough.”

Glancing at Eurys, Sunny added with a smile:

“Which is why a subjugation crusade unlike anything that has ever happened is now in process. All across the Dream Realm, numerous Awakened are cleansing the lands from Nightmare Creatures and preparing them to welcome settlers. Despite how bloody and arduous that process is, the morale is surprisingly high... well, maybe it is not that big of a surprise. The very nature of warfare in the Dream Realm has changed, after all."

His smile turned a little wistful.

"That is because humans have a living goddess now. Well... a demigoddess, to be precise, but most don't know the difference. And Nephis actually answers prayers, unlike the dead gods. What I mean to say is that she can feel the distress of her subjects and bestow her blessing upon them from a distance. So, they can be saved from the jaws of death by her flames, as well as be empowered by her radiance. It's no joke, Eurys... I'd say that the overall combat effectiveness of humanity has increased manifold due to Nephis and her Domain. Just like that. Can you imagine a difference between an army that has to be cautious of each wound and an army that is not only empowered by divine grace, but also practically immortal?"

Sunny shook his head.

"..She still has her limits, though. So we are still struggling, and there are still many casualties. The progress is stunningly fast... but it is also not swift enough.”

He remained silent for a while, then sighed.

“You might wonder what the second Supreme is doing while Changing Star toils night and day for the sake of humanity. What I am doing. Well... I am quite busy, as well. It is just that while Nephis is in charge of governing the great exodus from the waking world, I am preoccupied with preparing for what comes after.”

His voice turned somber.

“Because what comes after is more terrifying than words can express. All the work we are doing can be rendered meaningless if we can't stop the calamity that will start once the

Dream Realm swallows the waking world and shifts."

Sunny looked at Eurys, lingered for a few moments, and then chuckled.

“Well, I am also doing quite a few things here and there. Like entertaining an obnoxious skeleton. Actually..."

He looked into the distance and shook his head with an amused expression on his face.

“You won't believe it, Eurys, but I found myself in charge of a Legacy Clan of my own.”

Shadow Slave
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  1. Offline
    Alfametadol
    Alfametadol
    + 0 ⋅ 0 -
    вот так я всегда хотел получить бэграунд таймскипа и погружения в воспоминания, а не растягивать эти событие на 20-40 глав, как это обычно делает G3 joy
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  2. Online Offline
    ArMiks
    ArMiks
    + 3 ⋅ 0 -
    There are scary tales about my minions...

    Imagine fiend going.....wrrrreeeetcccched bannnannnaa
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  3. Offline
    Lion 3641L
    Lion 3641L
    + 0 ⋅ 0 -
    2264 Two Sides of the Same Coin
    5 апреля 2025 от Shadow Novelist

    Volume 10

    ← Previous chapter: 2263 Beginning of the End

    Eurys went so far as to nod. "I don't know what a Legacy Clan is, but congratulations!"

    Sunny smiled.

    "Ah. Well, you see... when I was growing up, I was at the very bottom, and Legacy scions were at the pinnacle. But now I am the pinnacle. You were a slave, no? Imagine becoming a prince all of a sudden. That is how it feels."

    Eurys suddenly let out a creaky laugh.

    "Oh actually, I used to be a prince before becoming a slave. So I would not know."

    Sunny blinked a couple of times, then looked at him with curiosity, "You used to be a prince?"

    The skull stared back at him, grinning.

    "Did I say 'prince? I meant priest. Or did 17 My, oh my! Who can tell... my memories are all scattered, oh no..."

    Sunny scoffed, then turned away.

    "Well, in any case. The Legacy Clans as a whole are not what they used to be, these days, Too many new Awakened emerged in the wake of the Chain of Nightmares, so the prestige of the old families has lost some relevance. Even the Great Clans, the symbol of the Legacy power, are overshadowed by the Immortal Flame clan now which is so above everything else that it exists in a realm of its own."

    He remained silent for a moment.

    "Nephis is the only living heir of the Immortal Flame bloodline. Of course, she has her Fire Keepers in fact, the Fire Keepers are the most incandescent military force of humanity now. The tip of the spear. The original members of the Dreamer Army are still the core, but each is leading a hundred elite Awakened warriors now, the best of the best.

    He suddenly laughed.

    "Actually, they recruited this fresh blood through a huge tournament. Hundreds of thousands of Awakened participated, but only around four thousand were accepted into the ranks of the Fire Keepers. It was a very festive week- both worlds were watching with bated breaths. A perfectly timed distraction and reprieve and reprieve for the masses, as well. It will probably be held every few years from now on, I think. I had fun too, by the way. Turns out, tourmaments make me feel nostalgic..."

    Sunny looked into the distance for a while, reminiscing.

    "I once won a tournament myself, you know? you know? Regardless, the Fire Keepers are everywhere, under the spotlight, serving as the valiant heralds of the new Domain. But there are certain tasks that they can't perform - tasks that require a delicate approach, or have to be accomplished without anyone being the wiser. That is where the Shadow Clan comes in. My clan."

    He scratched the back of his head in embarrassment.

    "For reasons that I won't explain, I found myself in dire need of anonymity. That doesn't mean that I have to go live somewhere in solitude for the rest of my life, though, just that my exposure to the world must be... I limited. So, Shadow Clan is far smaller in scale than the Fire Keepers. There are barely two hundred people, and only half of those are combatants."

    Sunny smiled darkly.

    "Each and every one of those combatants is an exceptional killer, though. I chose them myself. Most know a thing or two about stealth, too... oh, and since they bear my mark, they have certain advantages when operating in the shadows. Overall, they've been very effective in dealing with various problems we faced-like terrorist cells created by the unhinged loyalists, doomsday cults that began popping up after Neph's speech, Nightmare Creatures that required a special approach to be surgically removed, and so on."

    Glancing at Eurys, he hesitated for a few moments, and then grinned.

    "The Shadow Clan does not officially exist, naturally. There are scary tales about my minions... I mean, about my brave subordinates... being told around campfires, but most people know nothing."
    He sighed.

    "The Shadow Clan resides on the Forgotten Shore. That is where it all started, so retuming there as a ruler, instead of a prisoner, feels strangely emotional. Of course, I did not choose it simply out of sentiment it is an important strategic location for many reasons."

    Sunny raised a hand and began counting on his fingers.

    "First of all we don't know where the pieces of the waking world will land and after after being absorbed abson into the Dream Realm, so it's important to have a strong presence north of the Hollow Mountains for a variety of reasons. Second, we need a base of operations in case we decide to stage a military expedition into the Nightmare Desert. Third, I need to find an easily accessible entrance to the Underworld. Fourth, I need to make my Domain stronger. The Burned Forest is a perfect place for that. Fifth. I can stay of I ou out of sight there."

    He grew quiet, and then added somberly:

    "And lastly, it is our contingency in case everything else is overrun by the Nightmare Creatures once the waking world is consumed. The last stronghold."

    At the same time, two more fingers grew out of his hand. Sunny bent the sixth, stared at the seventh for a while, then dismissed both and sighed.

    "We are in quite a predicament, you know? There are the Death Zones in the Dream Realm and the profane beings that dwell there. There is also the waking world itself... which already has at least one Category Five Gate there, and maybe even something worse on the moon. There will be more such Gates in the future - perhaps soon. That means that more Cursed and Unholy nightmare creatures will crawl into our world before it is consumed. Creatures like that are suppressed by the laws of the War Realm, but once it is swallowed by the Dream Realm, these laws will be no more. So, nothing will stop those horrors from roaming free. Imagine Earth's moon rising above Bastion... it will be total annihilation."

    Eurys clicked his jaw.

    "My, oh my! It certainly will."

    Sunny remained silent for a while, looking at him with strange intensity. Eventually, he said: "So, this is our deadline. In fact, we don't even know when the pieces of Earth will start popping up all across Dream Realm en masse. So there is no time to waste at all. we must become gods before our world is entirely consumed, Nephis and I. If not that, then at least Sacred."

    The ancient skeleton laughed.

    "Oh? Oh, that's all? You want to become at least Spirit, boy?"

    Sunny nodded and smiled pleasantly.
    Eurys laughed again, then said in an incredulous tone:

    "I might."
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      Lion 3641L
      Lion 3641L
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      2265 One Man Army
      5 апреля 2025 от Shadow Novelist

      Volume 10

      ← Previous chapter: 2264 Two Sides of the Same Coin

      The ancient skeleton remained silent for a while, studying Sunny with his empty eye sockets.

      Then, he said in an unexpectedly nonchalant tone:

      “How is being Supreme treating you?"

      Sunny considered his answer for a while, then raised a hand. Soon, a bottle of antique wine appeared in it. Removing the cork with a blade made of shadows, he took a sip and smiled contentedly.

      “Well... it's a bit terrifying, to be honest.”

      The wine was supposed to taste exquisite, considering that he had pilfered it from the wine cellars of the Valor clan, but Sunny honestly couldn't tell the difference from the normal wine he sometimes used for cooking. He was not going to get drunk unless he wanted to, regardless, so drinking this relic of the bygone eras was mostly to amuse himself.

      “Before, my power grew exponentially every time I attained a new Rank. But it was still just that, my personal power — no matter how great it was, I was still merely an individual... or a few individuals, at best. But now that I am Supreme, there has been a qualitative change to it. My personal power is like a natural force, and I am not merely a person. I am more of a walking kingdom."

      He paused for a moment, and then added: "It is strange even to say out loud, but one of me is enough to conquer the world... or destroy it, should I wish. I grew up in the outskirts of NQSC, you know, surrounded by stories about valiant Awakened, Masters, and Saints — who were so lofty as to seem unreachable, inconceivable, unimaginable. But as I am today, I could overrun NQSC with all its valiant warriors, then the Northern Quadrant, then all of Earth. It would not even take me much time... and I will only grow stronger as a result.”

      Eurys chuckled dryly.


      Sunny smiled.

      "This is to say that the power of a Supreme is not personal. It is... territorial. Conceptual? It is larger than themselves, is what I mean to say. It is a domain. That is why Neph's own power can increase the power of the entire humanity manifold.” He took another sip of wine, then offered it to the ancient skeleton. Seeing no reaction, Sunny shrugged.

      "Well, suit yourself. Now, back to being Supreme. There are a few differences. First of all, my Attributes... the authority granted to me as the [Lord of Shadows] has grown. I can even command the shadows of living beings now, albeit only those much weaker than myself and with great difficulty. Shadows are a very loyal sort, after all. The [Onyx Shell] has become [Jade Shell]. So... I guess I am a bonafide jade beauty now..."

      “The [Flame of Divinity] has grown much more powerful, too. And my Lineage, as well. Obviously, my body and soul have been reforged, becoming even closer to perfection than

      before. My soul especially has undergone a big change."

      He pointed to the bottle of wine.

      “I can actually store physical items in my Soul Sea, for one... only inanimate objects, though. I haven't managed to bring a living being there yet. But that is alright, because there are plenty of... unliving things in my soul already. All the lifeless shadows I've been collecting throughout the years are much livelier now. They walk around, stare at the temple, and rest on the water from time to time. They're not exactly living beings, but it seems like they retain faint traces of their former selves. If I had to describe it... I'd say that they don't possess a sense of self. They have neither will nor spirit.”

      Sunny hesitated for a while.

      “Which brings us to my new Aspect Ability. The Domain Ability... I guess. I call it the [Shadow Legion]. It allows me to open the gates of my soul and unleash all the shadows gathered there into the world. I can also control them, albeit not quite intricately. The shadows fight in my stead, and every enemy killed by them becomes a new soldier in my army. The shadows are also quite deadly, because it is impossible to destroy them. At best, they can be dispelled and sent back to my soul, where they will be restored to form after a while.”

      He sighed.

      “They retain most powers they possessed as living beings, as well, although that is... a bit complicated. Shadows don't really have the Will, for one, and neither do they have Domains. Some shadows also seem to retain more of their former selves than others, so their learned skills and combat techniques are sharper. Oh, and since most of the shadows in my soul used to be Nightmare Creatures, they have lost those powers that were granted to them by Corruption. My legion is still vast and dreadful, though. It's... I guess all I could say is that I would not have wanted to be my enemy?"

      Sunny smiled.

      “Right, I also received a few other abilities, and my old Aspect Abilities have grown stronger. Every shadow of my Shadow Legion can serve as a vessel for my shadow sense, for example. The maximum range of Shadow Step has become even greater than it had been before... actually, I guess it's limitless now. The only limitation there is is how much essence I have. Shadow Manifestation allows me to create far more intricate items, and I can also make them stay manifested permanently — although that will diminish their potency quite a bit. And since I am a shadow now instead of a human, I can maintain my incarnations indefinitely, although manifesting them as humans still requires some essence."

      He chuckled.

      “But I have more essence than I can spend now, too! Which is to say, it replenishes faster than I can waste it. The only way for me to empty my reserves of essence is to travel a truly great distance in a single moment or summon truly powerful members of the Shadow Legion for a very long time. Even then, I'll be back to full power in a relatively short amount of time.”

      Sunny looked at Eurys while sipping his wine.

      “Oh... and I can strike directly at the shadows of living beings, too. Quite an insidious power, that one, although not an unfamiliar one. I knew a guy once who could do just that. I was a bit envious of him, back then, but lo and behold. I gained the same power as a bonus while becoming Supreme..."

      Sunny turned the bottle and poured some wine out for Shadow Blade Kurt.

      He was certainly not missed, but Sunny was going to use his newfound power well. He smiled.

      "So, I'd say that being a Supreme has been treating me quite well.”
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        Lion 3641L
        Lion 3641L
        + 0 ⋅ 0 -
        2266 Out of Time
        5 апреля 2025 от Shadow Novelist
        Volume 10

        ← Previous chapter: 2265 One Man Army

        Sunny remained silent for a while, then nodded.

        "I think that's it. I might be forgetting something, but overall, that is how being Supreme is different from being a Saint. I'd say, overall... I feel like a demigod. No, actually, I feel like a god. Because my point of reference is being a mundane human, not an actual deity. From the point of view of a mortal man, my power is no different from that of a god. Of course, from the point of view of a god, I'd probably seem like a child."

        He looked into the distance.

        “But it’s... it's different. The way I am. Because of how domineering my Will is, the world feels far more malleable than before. And I also feel them all, at every waking moment... my shadows. My connection to them is subtle, but it is always there. As if tens of thousands of voices are whispering quietly into my ears. I can also sense them all — moving, fighting, killing. It is as if I have tens of thousands of bodies and hundreds of thousands of eyes. It is enough to drive a man mad, to be honest.”

        Sunny's expression turned somber.

        “It is even worse for Nephis, whose Domain includes billions of people. The longing, their desires wash over her like an ocean, and although she rarely speaks about it, I know that she sometimes struggles not to drown in that ocean.”

        He sighed.

        “Sometimes, I wonder... how much we will change as time goes on."

        Eurys stared at him for a while, then clicked his jaw.

        “Ah, but that is the bane of being a demigod, boy. You are not quite a mortal, but you are not quite a god either. That is the burden all Supreme humans have to bear. Or maybe it is a blessing — because that burden will gradually make you less and less human.”

        Sunny frowned, then stared at him darkly. “Less and less human? What do you mean? How is that a blessing?"

        The ancient skeleton let out a creaky laugh.

        “Well, you asked me about the Apotheosis, didn't you? The step of becoming a Spirit — a Sacred being, so to say. You described how different being Supreme feels from being Transcendent, but, boy... being Sacred is an entirely different state of existence. Apotheosis is the act of becoming a deity... a god. A lesser deity and a minor god, but still something fundamentally different from a mortal. It is as much about your consciousness and your capacity to encompass the vastness of it all as it is about the quality of your soul and your

        power."

        Eurys shook his skull.

        “A Supreme is someone who expands their soul to dominate a portion of the world. A Spirit is someone whose soul can encompass the whole world. Needless to say, that is not something a human mind, a human self can withstand. So, that is why becoming less human can be a blessing for a Supreme — because it changes them gradually, slowly turning them into beings capable of attempting Apotheosis. Very few ever succeed in that attempt, of course.”

        Sunny remained silent for a while, trying to come to terms with what he just heard.

        ‘Becoming less human..."

        A shiver ran down his spine.

        Sunny cherished his humanity quite a lot. More than that, losing it sounded frightening — because it was an integral part of his being. Losing some of his humanity was no different from losing himself.

        And losing himself was no different from death.

        It was quite ironic to say, but even despite having killed himself once... Sunny was still afraid of death, just like any human would be.

        He couldn't help but remember Anvil and Ki Song, whose inhuman callousness had been the very reason he hated them so much.

        But still, still...

        It was not like he or Nephis had a choice. They had to become Sacred. They would not be able to survive or save those they cared about otherwise.

        He drank his luxurious wine in dead silence for a while, then asked somberly: “So, how does one go about attempting Apotheosis?"

        Eurys stared at him a bit and pretended to let out a sigh.

        “I am sorry to say this, boy... but you have absolutely no chance of becoming Sacred."

        Sunny was surprised. He looked at the ancient skeleton with raised eyebrows, then frowned.

        “Huh? Aren't you underestimating me too much? I thought you'd know by now that I can accomplish quite a lot, as long as I put my mind to it."

        Eurys just shook his skull.

        "No, no. I will be the first one to admit that you are a startling existence, boy... a singular talent even by the standards of my tumultuous era. I have no doubt that you would have had a good chance of becoming Sacred — or even Divine — in normal circumstances. But that's just the thing. Your circumstances are not exactly normal, are they?"

        Sunny's scowl deepened.

        "Sure, I guess. But what exactly do you mean?"

        Eurys stared at him for a bit, then spoke neutrally:

        “Why, I mean time, of course. As I already mentioned, becoming someone capable of attempting Apotheosis is a slow and gradual process. There is no way to cheat that process, no way to solve the problem with brute force. The only thing you can do is spend a great amount of time preparing yourself, experiencing the world, seeking enlightenment, and learning to perceive existence as a god instead of a mortal. That can take thousands of years... centuries, at least."

        His tone turned wistful.

        “But didn't you say that your world might not even last a mere decade? No matter how much of a genius you are, you won't be able to fundamentally transform yourself into a being worthy of becoming a deity in a measly decade. Let alone actually becoming one — there are plenty of insurmountable obstacles on the path to Apotheosis other than simply being suitable to attempt it. Obstacles that you have neither time nor resources to overcome. So... sorry. I'll have to disappoint you today.”

        Sunny studied him for a few moments, then sighed and looked away.

        He stayed quiet for a while, finishing his wine in silence.

        Once the bottle was empty, Sunny shook his head.

        "You say that there is no way to cheat the process, but you are wrong. There is one way."

        There was the Nightmare Spell.

        However, therein lay the problem.

        Sunny, after all, was not a carrier of the Nightmare Spell anymore.

        Even if he wanted to attempt the Fifth Nightmare, he simply could not. The Spell would not send him into a Nightmare, and all he would get for approaching a Seed was an irresistible dose of Corruption. Uttering a curse, Sunny tossed the empty bottle into the depths of the ivory maze. Then, he sighed, disappeared from his chair, and returned a second later with the bottle in hand.

        Whether he was Supreme or not, there was no excuse for littering. Sitting down once again, Sunny frowned and looked at the distant radiance of a fierce

        essence storm.

        ‘How... troublesome.’

        His mood had turned somber.
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  4. Offline
    The Priest of Negari
    The Priest of Negari
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    2264 Two Sides of the Same Coin
    Eurys went so far as to nod. "I don't know what a Legacy Clan is, but congratulations!"
    Sunny smiled.
    "Ah. Well, you see... when I was growing up, I was at the very bottom, and Legacy scions were at the pinnacle. But now I am the pinnacle. You were a slave, no? Imagine becoming a prince all of a sudden. That is how it feels."
    Eurys suddenly let out a creaky laugh.
    "Oh actually, I used to be a prince before becoming a slave. So I would not know."
    Sunny blinked a couple of times, then looked at him with curiosity, "You used to be a prince?"
    The skull stared back at him, grinning.
    "Did I say 'prince? I meant priest. Or did 17 My, oh my! Who can tell... my memories are all scattered, oh no..."
    Sunny scoffed, then turned away.
    "Well, in any case. The Legacy Clans as a whole are not what they used to be, these days, Too many new Awakened emerged in the wake of the Chain of Nightmares, so the prestige of the old families has lost some relevance. Even the Great Clans, the symbol of the Legacy power, are overshadowed by the Immоrtal Flame clan now which is so above еverything else that it exists in a realm of its own."
    He remained silent for a moment.
    "Nephis is the only living heir of the Immortal Flame bloodline. Of course, she has her Fire Keepers in fact, the Fire Keepers are the most incandescent military force of humanity now. The tip of the spear. The original members of the Dreamer Army are still the core, but each is leading a hundred elite Awakened warriors now, the best of the best.
    He suddenly laughed.
    "Actually, they recruited this fresh blood through a huge tournament. Hundreds of thousands of Awakened participated, but only around four thousand were accepted into the ranks of the Fire Keepers. It was a very festive week- both worlds were watching with bated breaths. A perfectly timed distraction and reprieve and reprieve for the masses, аs well. It will probably be held every few years from now on, I think. I had fun too, by the way. Turns out, tourmaments make me feel nostalgic..."
    Sunny looked into the distance for a while, reminiscing.
    "I once won a tournament myself, you know? you know? Regardless, the Fire Keepers are everywhere, under the spotlight, serving as the valiant heralds of the new Domain. But there are certain tasks that they can't perform - tasks that require a delicate approach, or have to be accomplished without anyone being the wiser. That is where the Shadow Clan comes in. My clan."
    He scratched the back of his head in embarrassment.
    "For reasons that I won't explain, I found myself in dire need of anonymity. That doesn't mean that I have to go live somewhere in solitude for the rest of my life, though, just that my exposure to the world must be... I limited. So, Shadow Clan is far smaller in scale than the Fire Keepers. There are barely two hundred people, and only half of those are combatants."
    Sunny smiled darkly.
    "Each and every one of those combatants is an exceptional killer, though. I chose them myself. Most know a thing or two about stealth, too... oh, and since they bear my mark, they have certain advantages when operating in the shadows. Overall, they've been very effective in dealing with various problems we faced-like terrorist cells created by the unhinged loyalists, doomsday cults that began popping up after Neph's speech, Nightmare Creatures that required a special approach to be surgically removed, and so on."
    Glancing at Eurys, he hesitated for a few moments, and then grinned.
    "The Shadow Clan does not officially exist, naturally. There are scary tales about my minions... I mean, about my brave subordinates... being told around campfires, but most people know nothing."
    He sighed.
    "The Shadow Clan resides on the Forgotten Shore. That is where it all started, so retuming there as a ruler, instead of a prisoner, feels strangely emotional. Of course, I did not choose it simply out of sentiment it is an important strategic location for many reasons."
    Sunny raised a hand and began counting on his fingers.
    "First of аll we don't know where the pieces of the waking world will land and after after being absorbed abson into the Dream Realm, so it's important to have a strong presence north of the Hollow Mountains for a variety of reasons. Second, we need a base of operations in case we decide to stage a military expedition into the Nightmare Desert. Third, I need to find an easily accessible entrance to the Underworld. Fourth, I need to make my Domain stronger. The Burned Forest is a perfect place for that. Fifth. I can stay of I ou out of sight there."
    He grew quiet, and then added somberly:
    "And lastly, it is our contingency in case everything else is overrun by the Nightmare Creatures once the waking world is consumed. The last stronghold."
    At the same time, two more fingers grew out of his hand. Sunny bent the sixth, stared at the seventh for a while, then dismissed both and sighed.
    "We are in quite a predicament, you know? There are the Death Zones in the Dream Realm and the profane beings that dwell there. There is also the waking world itself... which already has at least one Category Five Gate there, and maybe even something worse on the moon. There will be more such Gates in the future - perhaps soon. That means that more Cursed and Unholy nightmare creatures will crawl into our world before it is consumed. Creatures like that are suppressed by the laws of the War Realm, but once it is swallowed by the Dream Realm, these laws will be no more. So, nothing will stop those horrors from roaming free. Imagine Earth's moon rising above Bastion... it will be total annihilation."
    Eurys clicked his jaw.
    "My, oh my! It certainly will."
    Sunny remained silent for a while, looking at him with strange intensity. Eventually, he said: "So, this is our deadline. In fact, we don't even know when the pieces of Earth will start popping up all across Dream Realm en masse. So there is no time to waste at all. we must become gods before our world is entirely consumed, Nephis and I. If not that, then at least Sacred."
    The ancient skeleton laughed.
    "Oh? Oh, that's all? You want to become at least Spirit, boy?"
    Sunny nodded and smiled pleasantly.
    "I do. So, how about it? You knew a thing or two about attaining Supremacy, Eurys. Do you know a thing or two about the Apotheosis, as well?"
    Eurys laughed again, then said in an incredulous tone:
    "I might." 2265 One Man Army
    The ancient skeleton remained silent for a while, studying Sunny with his empty eye sockets.
    Then, he said in an unexpectedly nonchalant tone:
    “How is being Supreme treating you?"
    Sunny considered his answer for a while, then raised a hand. Soon, a bottle of antique wine appeared in it. Removing the cork with a blade made of shadows, he took a sip and smiled contentedly.
    “Well... it's a bit terrifying, to be honest.”
    The wine was supposed to taste exquisite, considering that he had pilfered it from the wine cellars of the Valor clan, but Sunny honestly couldn't tell the difference from the normal wine he sometimes used for cooking. He was not going to get drunk unless he wanted to, regardless, so drinking this relic of the bygone eras was mostly to amuse himself.
    “Before, my power grew exponentially every time I attained a new Rank. But it was still just that, my personal power — no matter how great it was, I was still merely an individual... or a few individuals, at best. But now that I am Supreme, there has been a qualitative change to it. My personal power is like a natural force, and I am not merely a person. I am more of a walking kingdom."
    He paused for a moment, and then added: "It is strange even to say out loud, but one of me is enough to conquer the world... or destroy it, should I wish. I grew up in the outskirts of NQSC, you know, surrounded by stories about valiant Awakened, Masters, and Saints — who were so lofty as to seem unreachable, inconceivable, unimaginable. But as I am today, I could overrun NQSC with all its valiant warriors, then the Northern Quadrant, then all of Earth. It would not even take me much time... and I will only grow stronger as a result.”
    Eurys chuckled dryly.
    “My, oh my! How scary."
    Sunny smiled.
    "This is to say that the power of a Supreme is not personal. It is... territorial. Conceptual? It is larger than themselves, is what I mean to say. It is a domain. That is why Neph's own power can increase the power of the entire humanity manifold.” He took another sip of wine, then offered it to the ancient skeleton. Seeing no reaction, Sunny shrugged.
    "Well, suit yourself. Now, back to bеing Supreme. There are a few differences. First of all, my Attributes... the authority granted to me as the [Lord of Shadows] has grown. I can even command the shadows of living beings now, albeit only those much weaker than myself and with great difficulty. Shadows are a very loyal sort, after all. The [Onyx Shell] has become [Jade Shell]. So... I guess I am a bonafide jade beauty now..."
    Sunny leaned back and exploded with laughter.
    Eurys looked at him with reproach.
    “That's enough wine for you, boy..."
    Sunny grinned.
    “The [Flame of Divinity] has grown much more powerful, too. And my Lineage, as well. Obviously, my body and soul have been reforged, becoming even closer to perfection than
    before. My soul especially has undergone a big change."
    He pointed to the bottle of wine.
    “I can actually store physical items in my Soul Sea, for one... only inanimate objects, though. I haven't managed to bring a living being there yet. But that is alright, because there are plenty of... unliving things in my soul already. All the lifeless shadows I've been collecting throughout the years are much livelier now. They walk around, stare at the temple, and rest on the water from time to time. They're not exactly living beings, but it seems like they retain faint traces of their former selves. If I had to describe it... I'd say that they don't possess a sense of self. They have neither will nor spirit.”
    Sunny hesitated for a while.
    “Which brings us to my new Aspect Ability. The Domain Ability... I guess. I call it the [Shadow Legion]. It allows me to open the gates of my soul and unleash all the shadows gathered there into the world. I can also control them, albeit not quite intricately. The shadows fight in my stead, and every enemy killed by them becomes a new soldier in my army. The shadows are also quite deadly, because it is impossible to destroy them. At best, they can be dispelled and sent back to my soul, where they will be restored to form after a while.”
    He sighed.
    “They retain most powers they possessed as living beings, as well, although that is... a bit complicated. Shadows don't really have the Will, for one, and neither do they have Domains. Some shadows also seem to retain more of their former selves than others, so their learned skills and combat techniques are sharper. Oh, and since most of the shadows in my soul used to be Nightmare Creatures, they have lost those powers that were granted to them by Corruption. My legion is still vast and dreadful, though. It's... I guess all I could say is that I would not have wanted to be my enemy?"
    Sunny smiled.
    “Right, I also received a few other abilities, and my old Aspect Abilities have grown stronger. Every shadow of my Shadow Legion can serve as a vessel for my shadow sense, for example. The maximum range of Shadow Step has become even greater than it had been before... actually, I guess it's limitless now. The only limitation there is is how much essence I have. Shadow Manifestation allows me to create far more intricate items, and I can also make them stay manifested permanently — although that will diminish their potency quite a bit. And since I am a shadow now instead of a human, I can maintain my incarnations indefinitely, although manifesting them as humans still requires some essence."
    He chuckled.
    “But I have more essence than I can spend now, too! Which is to say, it replenishes faster than I can waste it. The only way for me to empty my reserves of essence is to travel a truly great distance in a single moment or summon truly powerful members of the Shadow Legion for a very long time. Even then, I'll be back to full power in a relatively short amount of time.”
    Sunny looked at Eurys while sipping his wine.
    “Oh... and I can strike directly at the shadows of living beings, too. Quite an insidious power, that one, although not an unfamiliar one. I knew a guy once who could do just that. I was a bit envious of him, back then, but lo and behold. I gained the same power as a bonus while becoming Supreme..."
    Sunny turned the bottle and poured some wine out for Shadow Blade Kurt.
    He was certainly not missed, but Sunny was going to use his newfound power well. He smiled.
    "So, I'd say that being a Supreme has been treating me quite well.”
    2266 Out of Time
    Sunny remained silent for a while, then nodded.
    "I think that's it. I might be forgetting something, but overall, that is how being Supreme is different from being a Saint. I'd say, overall... I feel like a demigod. No, actually, I feel like a god. Because my point of reference is being a mundane human, not an actual deity. From the point of view of a mortal man, my power is no different from that of a god. Of course, from the point of view of a god, I'd probably seem like a child."
    He looked into the distance.
    “But it’s... it's different. The way I am. Because of how domineering my Will is, the world feels far more malleable than before. And I also feel them all, at every waking moment... my shadows. My connection to them is subtle, but it is always there. As if tens of thousands of voices are whispering quietly into my ears. I can also sense them all — moving, fighting, killing. It is as if I have tens of thousands of bodies and hundreds of thousands of eyes. It is enough to drive a man mad, to be honest.”
    Sunny's expression turned somber.
    “It is even worse for Nephis, whose Domain includes billions of people. The longing, their desires wash over her like an ocean, and although she rarely speaks about it, I know that she sometimes struggles not to drown in that ocean.”
    He sighed.
    “Sometimes, I wonder... how much we will change as time goes on."
    Eurys stared at him for a while, then clicked his jaw.
    “Ah, but that is the bane of being a demigod, boy. Уou are not quite a mortal, but you are not quite a god either. That is the burden all Supreme humans have to bear. Or maybe it is a blessing — because that burden will gradually make you less and less human.”
    Sunny frowned, then stared at him darkly. “Less and less human? What do you mean? How is that a blessing?"
    The ancient skeleton let out a creaky laugh.
    “Well, you asked me about the Apotheosis, didn't you? The step of becoming a Spirit — a Sacred being, so to say. You described how different being Supreme feels from being Transcendent, but, boy... being Sacred is an entirely different state of existence. Apotheosis is the act of becoming a deity... a god. A lesser deity and a minor god, but still something fundamentally different from a mortal. It is as much about your consciousness and your capacity to encompass the vastness of it all as it is about the quality of your soul and your
    power."
    Eurys shook his skull.
    “A Supreme is someone who expands their soul to dominate a portion of the world. A Spirit is someone whose soul can encompass the whole world. Needless to say, that is not something a human mind, a human self can withstand. So, that is why becoming less human can be a blessing for a Supreme — because it changes them gradually, slowly turning them into beings capable of attempting Apotheosis. Veгy few ever succeed in that attempt, of course.”
    Sunny remained silent for a while, trying to come to terms with what he just heard.
    ‘Becoming less human..."
    A shiver ran down his spine.
    Sunny cherished his humanity quite a lot. More than that, losing it sounded frightening — because it was an integral part of his being. Losing some of his humanity was no different from losing himself.
    And losing himself was no different from death.
    It was quite ironic to say, but even despite having killed himself once... Sunny was still afraid of death, just like any human would be.
    He couldn't help but remember Anvil and Ki Song, whose inhuman callousness had been the very reason he hated them so much.
    But still, still...
    It was not like he or Nephis had a choice. They had to become Sacred. They would not be able to survive or save those they cared about otherwise.
    He drank his luxurious wine in dead silence for a while, then asked somberly: “So, how does one go about attempting Apotheosis?"
    Eurys stared at him a bit and pretended to let out a sigh.
    “I am sorry to say this, boy... but you have absolutely no chance of becoming Sacred."
    Sunny was surprised. He looked at the ancient skeleton with raised eyebrows, then frowned.
    “Huh? Aren't you undeгestimating me too much? I thought you'd know by now that I can accomplish quite a lot, as long as I put my mind to it."
    Eurys just shook his skull.
    "No, no. I will be the first one to admit that you are a startling existence, boy... a singular talent even by the standards of my tumultuous era. I have no doubt that you would have had a good chance of becoming Sacred — or even Divine — in normal circumstances. But that's just the thing. Your circumstances are not exactly normal, are they?"
    Sunny's scowl deepened.
    "Sure, I guess. But what exactly do you mean?"
    Eurys stared at him for a bit, then spoke neutrally:
    “Why, I mean time, of course. As I already mentioned, becoming someone capable of attempting Apotheosis is a slow and gradual process. There is no way to cheat that process, no way to solve the problem with brute force. The only thing you can do is spend a great amount of time preparing yourself, experiencing the world, seeking enlightenment, and learning to perceive existence as a god instead of a mortal. That can take thousands of years... centuries, at least."
    His tone turned wistful.
    “But didn't you say that your world might not even last a mere decade? No matter how much of a genius you are, you won't be able to fundamentally transform yourself into a being worthy of becoming a deity in a measly decade. Let alone actually becoming one — there are plenty of insurmountable obstacles on the path to Apotheosis other than simply being suitable to attempt it. Obstacles that you have neither time nor resources to overcome. So... sorry. I'll have to disappoint you today.”
    Sunny studied him for a few moments, then sighed and looked away.
    He stayed quiet for a while, finishing his wine in silence.
    Once the bottle was empty, Sunny shook his head.
    "You say that there is no way to cheat the process, but you are wrong. There is one way."
    There was the Nightmare Spell.
    However, therein lay the problem.
    Sunny, after all, was not a carrier of the Nightmare Spell anymore.
    Even if he wanted to attempt the Fifth Nightmare, he simply could not. The Spell would not send him into a Nightmare, and all he would get for approaching a Seed was an irrеsistible dose of Corruption. Uttering a curse, Sunny tossed the empty bottle into the depths of the ivory maze. Then, he sighed, disappeared from his chair, and returned a second later with the bottle in hand.
    Whether he was Supreme or not, there was no excuse for littering. Sitting down once again, Sunny frowned and looked at the distant radiance of a fierce
    essence storm.
    ‘How... troublesome.’
    His mood had turned somber.
    Read more
  5. Offline
    LexEdu
    LexEdu
    + 2 ⋅ 0 -
    2266 Out of Time
    Sunny remained silent for a while, then nodded.
    "I think that's it. I might be forgetting something, but overall, that is how being Supreme is
    different from being a Saint. I'd say, overall... I feel like a demigod. No, actually, I feel like a
    god. Because my point of reference is being a mundane human, not an actual deity. From
    the point of view of a mortal man, my power is no different from that of a god. Of course,
    from the point of view of a god, I'd probably seem like a child."
    He looked into the distance.
    “But it’s... it's different. The way I am. Because of how domineering my Will is, the world feels
    far more malleable than before. And I also feel them all, at every waking moment... my
    shadows. My connection to them is subtle, but it is always there. As if tens of thousands of
    voices are whispering quietly into my ears. I can also sense them all — moving, fighting,
    killing. It is as if I have tens of thousands of bodies and hundreds of thousands of eyes. It is
    enough to drive a man mad, to be honest.”
    Sunny's expression turned somber.
    “It is even worse for Nephis, whose Domain includes billions of people. The longing, their
    desires wash over her like an ocean, and although she rarely speaks about it, I know that
    she sometimes struggles not to drown in that ocean.”
    He sighed.
    “Sometimes, I wonder... how much we will change as time goes on."
    Eurys stared at him for a while, then clicked his jaw.
    “Ah, but that is the bane of being a demigod, boy. You are not quite a mortal, but you are not
    quite a god either. That is the burden all Supreme humans have to bear. Or maybe it is a
    blessing — because that burden will gradually make you less and less human.”
    Sunny frowned, then stared at him darkly. “Less and less human? What do you mean? How
    is that a blessing?"
    The ancient skeleton let out a creaky laugh.
    “Well, you asked me about the Apotheosis, didn't you? The step of becoming a Spirit — a
    Sacred being, so to say. You described how different being Supreme feels from being
    Transcendent, but, boy... being Sacred is an entirely different state of existence. Apotheosis
    is the act of becoming a deity... a god. A lesser deity and a minor god, but still something
    fundamentally different from a mortal. It is as much about your consciousness and your
    capacity to encompass the vastness of it all as it is about the quality of your soul and your
    power."
    Eurys shook his skull.
    “A Supreme is someone who expands their soul to dominate a portion of the world. A Spirit
    is someone whose soul can encompass the whole world. Needless to say, that is not
    something a human mind, a human self can withstand. So, that is why becoming less human
    can be a blessing for a Supreme — because it changes them gradually, slowly turning them
    into beings capable of attempting Apotheosis. Very few ever succeed in that attempt, of
    course.”
    Sunny remained silent for a while, trying to come to terms with what he just heard.
    ‘Becoming less human..."
    A shiver ran down his spine.
    Sunny cherished his humanity quite a lot. More than that, losing it sounded frightening —
    because it was an integral part of his being. Losing some of his humanity was no different
    from losing himself.
    And losing himself was no different from death.
    It was quite ironic to say, but even despite having killed himself once... Sunny was still afraid
    of death, just like any human would be.
    He couldn't help but remember Anvil and Ki Song, whose inhuman callousness had been the
    very reason he hated them so much.
    But still, still...
    It was not like he or Nephis had a choice. They had to become Sacred. They would not be
    able to survive or save those they cared about otherwise.
    He drank his luxurious wine in dead silence for a while, then asked somberly: “So, how does
    one go about attempting Apotheosis?"
    Eurys stared at him a bit and pretended to let out a sigh.
    “I am sorry to say this, boy... but you have absolutely no chance of becoming Sacred."
    Sunny was surprised. He looked at the ancient skeleton with raised eyebrows, then frowned.
    “Huh? Aren't you underestimating me too much? I thought you'd know by now that I can
    accomplish quite a lot, as long as I put my mind to it."
    Eurys just shook his skull.
    "No, no. I will be the first one to admit that you are a startling existence, boy... a singular
    talent even by the standards of my tumultuous era. I have no doubt that you would have had
    a good chance of becoming Sacred — or even Divine — in normal circumstances. But that's
    just the thing. Your circumstances are not exactly normal, are they?"
    Sunny's scowl deepened.
    "Sure, I guess. But what exactly do you mean?"
    Eurys stared at him for a bit, then spoke neutrally:
    “Why, I mean time, of course. As I already mentioned, becoming someone capable of
    attempting Apotheosis is a slow and gradual process. There is no way to cheat that process,
    no way to solve the problem with brute force. The only thing you can do is spend a great
    amount of time preparing yourself, experiencing the world, seeking enlightenment, and
    learning to perceive existence as a god instead of a mortal. That can take thousands of
    years... centuries, at least."
    His tone turned wistful.
    “But didn't you say that your world might not even last a mere decade? No matter how much
    of a genius you are, you won't be able to fundamentally transform yourself into a being
    worthy of becoming a deity in a measly decade. Let alone actually becoming one — there
    are plenty of insurmountable obstacles on the path to Apotheosis other than simply being
    suitable to attempt it. Obstacles that you have neither time nor resources to overcome. So...
    sorry. I'll have to disappoint you today.”
    Sunny studied him for a few moments, then sighed and looked away.
    He stayed quiet for a while, finishing his wine in silence.
    Once the bottle was empty, Sunny shook his head.
    "You say that there is no way to cheat the process, but you are wrong. There is one way."
    There was the Nightmare Spell.
    However, therein lay the problem.
    Sunny, after all, was not a carrier of the Nightmare Spell anymore.
    Even if he wanted to attempt the Fifth Nightmare, he simply could not. The Spell would not
    send him into a Nightmare, and all he would get for approaching a Seed was an irresistible
    dose of Corruption. Uttering a curse, Sunny tossed the empty bottle into the depths of the
    ivory maze. Then, he sighed, disappeared from his chair, and returned a second later with
    the bottle in hand.
    Whether he was Supreme or not, there was no excuse for littering.
    Sitting down once again, Sunny frowned and looked at the distant radiance of a fierce
    essence storm.
    ‘How... troublesome.’
    His mood had turned somber.
    Read more
  6. Offline
    LexEdu
    LexEdu
    + 3 ⋅ 0 -
    I got the chapters

    2265 One Man Army
    The ancient skeleton remained silent for a while, studying Sunny with his empty eye sockets.
    Then, he said in an unexpectedly nonchalant tone:
    “How is being Supreme treating you?"
    Sunny considered his answer for a while, then raised a hand. Soon, a bottle of antique wine
    appeared in it. Removing the cork with a blade made of shadows, he took a sip and smiled
    contentedly.
    “Well... it's a bit terrifying, to be honest.”
    The wine was supposed to taste exquisite, considering that he had pilfered it from the wine
    cellars of the Valor clan, but Sunny honestly couldn't tell the difference from the normal wine
    he sometimes used for cooking. He was not going to get drunk unless he wanted to,
    regardless, so drinking this relic of the bygone eras was mostly to amuse himself.
    “Before, my power grew exponentially every time I attained a new Rank. But it was still just
    that, my personal power — no matter how great it was, I was still merely an individual... or a
    few individuals, at best. But now that I am Supreme, there has been a qualitative change to
    it. My personal power is like a natural force, and I am not merely a person. I am more of a
    walking kingdom."
    He paused for a moment, and then added: "It is strange even to say out loud, but one of me
    is enough to conquer the world... or destroy it, should I wish. I grew up in the outskirts of
    NQSC, you know, surrounded by stories about valiant Awakened, Masters, and Saints —
    who were so lofty as to seem unreachable, inconceivable, unimaginable. But as I am today, I
    could overrun NQSC with all its valiant warriors, then the Northern Quadrant, then all of
    Earth. It would not even take me much time... and I will only grow stronger as a result.”
    Eurys chuckled dryly.
    “My, oh my! How scary."
    Sunny smiled.
    "This is to say that the power of a Supreme is not personal. It is... territorial. Conceptual? It is
    larger than themselves, is what I mean to say. It is a domain. That is why Neph's own power
    can increase the power of the entire humanity manifold.” He took another sip of wine, then
    offered it to the ancient skeleton. Seeing no reaction, Sunny shrugged.
    "Well, suit yourself. Now, back to being Supreme. There are a few differences. First of all, my
    Attributes... the authority granted to me as the [Lord of Shadows] has grown. I can even
    command the shadows of living beings now, albeit only those much weaker than myself and
    with great difficulty. Shadows are a very loyal sort, after all. The [Onyx Shell] has become
    [Jade Shell]. So... I guess I am a bonafide jade beauty now..."
    Sunny leaned back and exploded with laughter.Eurys looked at him with reproach.
    “That's enough wine for you, boy..."
    Sunny grinned.
    “The [Flame of Divinity] has grown much more powerful, too. And my Lineage, as well.
    Obviously, my body and soul have been reforged, becoming even closer to perfection than
    before. My soul especially has undergone a big change."
    He pointed to the bottle of wine.
    “I can actually store physical items in my Soul Sea, for one... only inanimate objects, though.
    I haven't managed to bring a living being there yet. But that is alright, because there are
    plenty of... unliving things in my soul already. All the lifeless shadows I've been collecting
    throughout the years are much livelier now. They walk around, stare at the temple, and rest
    on the water from time to time. They're not exactly living beings, but it seems like they retain
    faint traces of their former selves. If I had to describe it... I'd say that they don't possess a
    sense of self. They have neither will nor spirit.”
    Sunny hesitated for a while.
    “Which brings us to my new Aspect Ability. The Domain Ability... I guess. I call it the [Shadow
    Legion]. It allows me to open the gates of my soul and unleash all the shadows gathered
    there into the world. I can also control them, albeit not quite intricately. The shadows fight in
    my stead, and every enemy killed by them becomes a new soldier in my army. The shadows
    are also quite deadly, because it is impossible to destroy them. At best, they can be
    dispelled and sent back to my soul, where they will be restored to form after a while.” He
    sighed.
    “They retain most powers they possessed as living beings, as well, although that is... a bit
    complicated. Shadows don't really have the Will, for one, and neither do they have Domains.
    Some shadows also seem to retain more of their former selves than others, so their learned
    skills and combat techniques are sharper. Oh, and since most of the shadows in my soul
    used to be Nightmare Creatures, they have lost those powers that were granted to them by
    Corruption. My legion is still vast and dreadful, though. It's... I guess all I could say is that I
    would not have wanted to be my enemy?"
    Sunny smiled.
    “Right, I also received a few other abilities, and my old Aspect Abilities have grown stronger.
    Every shadow of my Shadow Legion can serve as a vessel for my shadow sense, for
    example. The maximum range of Shadow Step has become even greater than it had been
    before... actually, I guess it's limitless now. The only limitation there is is how much essence I
    have. Shadow Manifestation allows me to create far more intricate items, and I can also
    make them stay manifested permanently — although that will diminish their potency quite abit. And since I am a shadow now instead of a human, I can maintain my incarnations
    indefinitely, although manifesting them as humans still requires some essence."
    He chuckled.
    “But I have more essence than I can spend now, too! Which is to say, it replenishes faster
    than I can waste it. The only way for me to empty my reserves of essence is to travel a truly
    great distance in a single moment or summon truly powerful members of the Shadow Legion
    for a very long time. Even then, I'll be back to full power in a relatively short amount of time.”
    Sunny looked at Eurys while sipping his wine.
    “Oh... and I can strike directly at the shadows of living beings, too. Quite an insidious power,
    that one, although not an unfamiliar one. I knew a guy once who could do just that. I was a
    bit envious of him, back then, but lo and behold. I gained the same power as a bonus while
    becoming Supreme..."
    Sunny turned the bottle and poured some wine out for Shadow Blade Kurt.
    He was certainly not missed, but Sunny was going to use his newfound power well. He
    smiled.
    "So, I'd say that being a Supreme has been treating me quite well.”
    Read more
    1. Offline
      Zellion
      Zellion
      + 1 ⋅ 0 -
      Lezgooooooo

      What will we do without you sire??
      Read more
  7. Offline
    Lost from star
    Lost from star
    + 2 ⋅ 0 -
    Damn sunny become the Boss of an unknown assassin gang sheeh
    Read more
    1. Offline
      mariokaa
      mariokaa
      + 1 ⋅ 0 -
      when u put it that way, it sounds like he's the new jest lmao
      Read more
  8. Offline
    Uma
    Uma
    + 1 ⋅ 0 -
    Next chapter please 🥺
    Read more
    1. Offline
      Celestial Worthy_2
      Celestial Worthy_2
      + 4 ⋅ 0 -
      Chapter 2264 - Two Sides of the Same Coin
      Eurys went so far as to nod. "I don't know what a Legacy Clan is, but congratulations!"

      Sunny smiled. "Ah. Well, you see... when I was growing up, I was at the very bottom, and Legacy scions were at the pinnacle. But now I am the pinnacle. You were a slave, no? Imagine becoming a prince all of a sudden. That is how it feels."

      Eurys suddenly let out a creaky laugh. "Oh actually, I used to be a prince before becoming a slave. So I would not know."

      Sunny blinked a couple of times, then looked at him with curiosity, "You used to be a prince?"

      The skull stared back at him, grinning. "Did I say 'prince'? I meant priest. Or did I? My, oh my! Who can tell... my memories are all scattered, oh no..."

      Sunny scoffed, then turned away. "Well, in any case. The Legacy Clans as a whole are not what they used to be these days. Too many new Awakened emerged in the wake of the Chain of Nightmares, so the prestige of the old families has lost some relevance. Even the Great Clans, the symbol of the Legacy power, are overshadowed by the Immortal Flame clan now, which is so above everything else that it exists in a realm of its own."

      He remained silent for a moment. "Nephis is the only living heir of the Immortal Flame bloodline. Of course, she has her Fire Keepers. In fact, the Fire Keepers are the most incandescent military force of humanity now. The tip of the spear. The original members of the Dreamer Army are still the core, but each is leading a hundred elite Awakened warriors now, the best of the best."

      He suddenly laughed. "Actually, they recruited this fresh blood through a huge tournament. Hundreds of thousands of Awakened participated, but only around four thousand were accepted into the ranks of the Fire Keepers. It was a very festive week—both worlds were watching with bated breaths. A perfectly timed distraction and reprieve for the masses, as well. It will probably be held every few years from now on, I think. I had fun too, by the way. Turns out, tournaments make me feel nostalgic..."

      Sunny looked into the distance for a while, reminiscing. "I once won a tournament myself, you know?"

      "Regardless, the Fire Keepers are everywhere, under the spotlight, serving as the valiant heralds of the new Domain. But there are certain tasks that they can't perform—tasks that require a delicate approach or have to be accomplished without anyone being the wiser. That is where the Shadow Clan comes in. My clan."

      He scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "For reasons that I won't explain, I found myself in dire need of anonymity. That doesn't mean that I have to go live somewhere in solitude for the rest of my life, though, just that my exposure to the world must be... limited. So, Shadow Clan is far smaller in scale than the Fire Keepers. There are barely two hundred people, and only half of those are combatants."

      Sunny smiled darkly. "Each and every one of those combatants is an exceptional killer, though. I chose them myself. Most know a thing or two about stealth, too... oh, and since they bear my mark, they have certain advantages when operating in the shadows.

      "Overall, they've been very effective in dealing with various problems we faced—like terrorist cells created by unhinged loyalists, doomsday cults that began popping up after Neph's speech, Nightmare Creatures that required a special approach to be surgically removed, and so on."

      Glancing at Eurys, he hesitated for a few moments, and then grinned. "The Shadow Clan does not officially exist, naturally. There are scary tales about my minions... I mean, about my brave subordinates... being told around campfires, but most people know nothing."

      He sighed. "The Shadow Clan resides on the Forgotten Shore. That is where it all started, so returning there as a ruler, instead of a prisoner, feels strangely emotional. Of course, I did not choose it simply out of sentiment. It is an important strategic location for many reasons."

      Sunny raised a hand and began counting on his fingers. "First of all, we don't know where the pieces of the waking world will land after being absorbed into the Dream Realm, so it's important to have a strong presence north of the Hollow Mountains for a variety of reasons.

      "Second, we need a base of operations in case we decide to stage a military expedition into the Nightmare Desert.

      "Third, I need to find an easily accessible entrance to the Underworld.

      "Fourth, I need to make my Domain stronger. The Burned Forest is a perfect place for that.

      "Fifth, I can stay out of sight there."

      He grew quiet, and then added somberly, "And lastly, it is our contingency in case everything else is overrun by the Nightmare Creatures once the waking world is consumed. The last stronghold."

      At the same time, two more fingers grew out of his hand. Sunny bent the sixth, stared at the seventh for a while, then dismissed both and sighed.

      "We are in quite a predicament, you know? There are the Death Zones in the Dream Realm and the profane beings that dwell there. There is also the waking world itself... which already has at least one Category Five Gate there, and maybe even something worse on the moon. There will be more such Gates in the future—perhaps soon.

      "That means that more Cursed and Unholy nightmare creatures will crawl into our world before it is consumed. Creatures like that are suppressed by the laws of the War Realm, but once it is swallowed by the Dream Realm, these laws will be no more. So, nothing will stop those horrors from roaming free. Imagine Earth's moon rising above Bastion... it will be total annihilation."

      Eurys clicked his jaw. "My, oh my! It certainly will."

      Sunny remained silent for a while, looking at him with strange intensity. Eventually, he said, "So, this is our deadline. In fact, we don't even know when the pieces of Earth will start popping up all across the Dream Realm en masse. So there is no time to waste at all. We must become gods before our world is entirely consumed, Nephis and I. If not that, then at least Sacred."

      The ancient skeleton laughed. "Oh? Oh, that's all? You want to become at least Spirit, boy?"

      Sunny nodded and smiled pleasantly. "I do. So, how about it? You knew a thing or two about attaining Supremacy, Eurys. Do you know a thing or two about the Apotheosis, as well?"

      Eurys laughed again, then said in an incredulous tone:

      "I might."
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        Uma
        Uma
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        Do u have 2265 2266
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          Celestial Worthy_2
          Celestial Worthy_2
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          not yet
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    Crimsonmoon47c
    Crimsonmoon47c
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    Today three chapters should be updated. Where's the third chapter?
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      Zellion
      Zellion
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      In the comments below
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    Mitch
    Mitch
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    Morgan is obviously trying to find her own path. But yeah who’s gonna jump in that fourth nightmare to join sunny and Nephis.

    Weird the “skin walker” is suddenly just taking over the real world. A lot of awesome plot lines for whatever book number this will be if anyone knows.
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      Lost from sight
      Lost from sight
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      If I was Nephis (and Sunny), I would make 2 or 3 groups of skilled Saints. But it's still a huge risk, there no guarantee they return alive. Cassie has lost her ability to foresee the future, that doesn't help, before she would have been able to find a safe seed.
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        Lrb
        Lrb
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        Eu acho que alguns guardiões do fogo tem que buscar a transcendência. É muito cedo pra eles tentarem fazer as pessoas buscar a supremacia
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